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NEW STRONG AND TOUGH DUPONT ZYTEL USED IN FAKRA-STANDARD CONNECTORS
FAKRA-standard connectors, manufactured by US company Osram Sylvania and moulded from DuPont Zytel nylon, are emerging as the preferred links for on-board cabling used with satellite radio and a wide range of other telematics systems. Mechanical properties such as strength, stiffness and toughness, and the ability to meet tight moulding tolerances make the DuPont material first choice for the application. From tyre pressure monitors to satellite radio, keyless door locks and more, telematic systems of all kinds use an antenna to pick up radio-frequency signals and coaxial cables and connectors to link the antenna to a signal processor. Osram Sylvania help auto manufacturers address the telematics challenge with reassembled coaxial cables and NuChannel FAKRA SMB connectors, the latter made with strong, tough Zytel nylon resins. NuChannel connectors comply with requirements of the 50 Ohm radio- frequency interface standard developed by FAKRA, according to Tom Gouldy, global marketing and sales manager for Antenna Cable Systems at Osram Sylvania. FAKRA is the unit of the German Standards Institute that develops technical standards for motor vehicle components and systems. "Car manufacturers have a lot to gain by standardising on FAKRA interconnects: they get substantial savings on engineering, component and assembly costs while meeting demanding performance requirements," says Gouldy. "For the body of our best-in-class FAKRA connectors, Zytel gives us a great combination of strength, stiffness and toughness. It allows us to meet very tight moulding tolerances, too." NuChannel connectors are manufactured with high precision, with diameter tolerances for moulded body parts are as low as ±0.013 mm. At the same time, both strength and precision are crucial in meeting the FAKRA connector standard's requirement for resistance to a pull out force of 110 Newton without disconnection. The bodies of NuChannel FAKRA connectors are moulded from a Zytel nylon 66 with 43 percent glass fibre reinforcement. Another key component of the NuChannel connector, an internal insulator for its signal conductor, is moulded from Zytel 408, an unreinforced nylon 66 grade. This material's low dielectric constant at high frequency is crucial in combating signal loss, and its mouldability and economical cost are important advantages over fluoropolymer alternatives. The parts are moulded in colours matching those of the FAKRA standard's colour-coding scheme.
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